The Dark Crusade
by forcespike
Summary: The 13th Black Crusade, the most horrific assault since the Horus heresy. One small planet stood in the path of evil. With the defenses crumpling, the 8th Cadian came with much needed support. But will it be enough? All reviews are welcome.
1. Doom is foretold

_**The Dark Crusade**_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing! _

Planet Cyrus, for two month it bared the burden of the 13th Dark Crusade. The forces of chaos descended upon the small world without mercy. They arrived on their ancient ships, able to fly only though the dark energies of Chaos. What attracted them to this world is questionable; perhaps the blood of 13 million citizens' which colonized the planet was too tempting to turn away. Within 1 week, the planetary defense failed under the might of the enemy. Cadian 122nd stationed on the surface had failed to hold 3 out of 4 major space port. In the next month, a massacre followed, 39 of entire population was destroyed and over a quarter of guardsmen succumbed to madness. In a last ditch effort to starve Chaos of its victory, the entire population was evacuated to fortress "Vires Parietis"

An attachment of 8th Cadian for their experienced with the Thirteenth Black Crusade was called into action; they are to lend support to the flailing guardsmen in the final defense. Should the blockade be breached, blood would consume the entire planet.

Day 49;

The sound of the artillery beat a steady rhythm in the background. The troops have became so familiar with the sound they would tell each individual machine apart.

General Stubbs strolled through the underground bunker; dust would rain from the ceiling with each artillery shell. The casualties of the war are mounting each day, so rapidly in fact, that the medical wing have reported full capacity, so the wounded were lined in hallways and walk path.

Stubbed looked at the men as he passed, most are unconscious with wounds that would claim their life.

Sergeant Williams hurried alongside Stubbs, his nose twitched at the smell of blood.

"Battle report sir," he grasped between heavy breathing. "We have lost another chokepoint. There… there is nothing holding the chaos forces back."

"Casualties?" Stubbs asked. He was not afraid of the enemy, when the time comes he will face the foes of the emperor and he will stand proud.

"99 percent sir, there is only 2 survivors."

Stubbs stopped in his path, "Take me to them."

Stubbs stood outside the medical facility, the stench of decay and death lingered in the air, the once white walls now enclosed with blood which cascaded down to create a paddle on the floor. The sight made the imperial bunker look like a torture chamber

Surgeons can be seen digging shrapnel out of screaming guardsmen, their arms and legs thrashing wildly in air. Morphine supplie had long ran dry.

The medical officer scanned through his notes, his fingers flicking through hundreds of pages.

"#129,594 and # 134,958" he muttered under his breath. "Here we are, they are in the temporary cell, and reports confirmed they have sustained fatal injury to 89 percent of their bodies. They won't survive the night."

"I need to speak to them." Stubbs demanded.

"Very well, follow me general."

Stubbs followed the doctor to a small room; inside he could near machines helping the soldiers' with inhalation. A nurse stood between several patients, she was extracting the blood from the dead, to refill the bodies of the wounded.

As Stubbs entered, the nurse gave him a quick salute before hurrying out of the door.

"Private Jonson, can you hear my solider." Stubbs asked a pale man lying in front of him. His injuries were indeed horrendous. His skins are boiled and puss oozed from wounds, a classic symptom of severe burn. His left cheek had lost so much flesh that his lower chew bones threaten to fall off any moment. A deep gash descended from his chest down, cutting through ribs and splitting open stomach. It was by pure luck that the wound missed all his vital organs.

The young man looked up, and tried to speak, but only a mummer came out.

"What did you see, how big were the chaos forces, tell me." Stubbs pressed on.

The young solider slowly lifted his right hand, of which all fingers were missing. With his bloody stump, the solider began to draw on the walls in his own blood.

With his last strength, the young man looked at the general with tear filled eyes before passing away.

General Stubbs looked at the drawing, trying to make most sense out of it. A large figure was in the center of the picture, a long stick emerged from his left hand, a sword perhaps? Behind him, large blot of blood, with what looked like wings behind them.

A daemon? Stubbs thought, however the blood is slowly trickling down the walls making the painting loose all meaning.

"The second survivor?" Stubbs asked the medic.

"Already passed away, only 15 minutes ago, his injuries were most horrifying, the chaos tried to skin him alive. His upper bloody was cut and skins pulled from his face down to the waist."

Stubbs re-emerged from the bunker; another officer handed him some notes. The 8th Cadian had just arrived on the planet as support. They have landed 150KM south of the initial target, for them to reach Stubbs's fortification; it would take a few good days of trek through the thick forest. Meanwhile, dark shadows loomed in the horizon. Chaos is coming.


	2. Crush Landing

_All reviews are welcome even hate mail sorry for the slow update_

The blackness slowly faded away from Jacob's eyes, but the maddening ringing still proceeded.

"Are….you….Alright?"

A voice called out to him, but it seems so far away. A burry face floated above his vision, simmering and distorted.

Jacob slowly raised his hands in front of him and touched his face, no feelings he was numb.

"Let's go private! Get up and move out!"

The voice shouted again, this time clearer and louder

"Where are we?" Jacob managed to whisper, for the first time feelings washed back to him, and suddenly he could feel the searing pain in his backside.

"We crush landed; friggin chaos got us in mid flight." The voice replied, Jacob suddenly recognized that voice as platoon sergeant Wilson.

"Jack! Kick down that door, we have to get out of this wreckage."

"With pleasure sir"

A massive man stride past Jacob's vision, his uniform battered and torn, his shoulders spotting the injury, a deep gash of a few inches long. The big man walked up to the door and started to put some force into it. The loud vibration traveled through the metal body sending painful throbs up Jacob's injured side.

"Its stuck sir, I can't get it open." Jack replied, he loosed his collar and slumped against the door, sweat poured down his face.

Suddenly Jacob could feel the heat too; they are stuck in an air tight metal container out in the middle sweltering planet.

Then without warning the metal door busted open, no one saw it coming, a giant claw emerged around Jack and gribbed tightly around his chest. Jack looked up at his team mates in horror and shock. Then his back slammed against the hole, sharp intruding metal shards sliced deep into his back.

"Arrrh!" Jack screamed, the small hole was too small for such a big man to fit through.

"Help me!" He screamed as blood gushed out of his mouth.

Wilson and the others quickly rushed forward, but it was too late, Jack was forced through the small hole, his flesh stripped off his body by the sharp metal edges.

The cabinet erupted into panic, men clambered over each other like ants to get away from the door, their lasguns held readily in their hands. They watched the small gap where Jack disappeared from.

"The sergeant tried to restore order.

"Stay clam you lot."

"What the hell was that Sage? It was strong enough to break through 6 inches of metal!" Damien asked, he is the youngest in the squad and a typical pretty boy with blonde hair, blue eyes and a perfectly structured face. He always joked he rather loose an arm or leg then to loose his perfect face.

"I don't know, if I put my badge on it, Id say it's a beast on this planet, possibly a top predator." Armstrong broke the silence, his was an old man, even older then sage, the squad called him the oracle, partly cause of his age and his extensive knowledge of everything. Oracle can be seen carrying books everywhere he goes, even to the thick of the battle. He had told on Jacob many occasions of how his books had stopped that sword or bullet from piecing his heart. How much of it were real Jacob never questioned.

Just as the guardsmen regained their composure the roof of the drop pod erupted. An enormous head pieced into the cabin, its long serrated teething snapping wilding in search of prey.

It was answered by the fires of Lasguns; the gigantic beast shook its head in pain and disappeared once more, leaving the blazing sun to shine down onto the shaken crew

"We have to get out of here, it's a death trap." Sarge ordered. Sage is known as boots, this is due to the fact he had been wearing the same pair of boot since his first day as a guardsmen in the 10th company, "good luck shoes" sage called them, saw him through many battles where the odds would weight down on his back. Sage wasn't kidding either, his face was covered in battle scars, the right eye could never be full opened after a power sword sliced right though the helmet. Sage said it was his boots which made him slip on the blood so he fell backwards as the blade came down.

"Joseph, Jacob, gives me a hand and help me climb out of here. I will open the door from the outside." Sage ordered.

Joseph was our team medic, his tall and lanky, hardly fit to be a solider, but his determination and usefulness in and out of battle often made up for his weak physic.

"Ok, one, two… three!"

Jacob shouted as the sage leaped onto his open hand, and in one bound disappeared out of the wreckage. The rest of the crew waited with held breath.

* * *

General Stubbs walked atop of his fortress; no forces had successfully breached the mighty walls. Not as long as his guns would continue its destruction. But never in his life time had he seen an enemy force so vile and vast. Its dark shapes engulfed the horizon in shadow; trees fell before the army as it continued its death march.

Marauder bombers soared above Stubbs head, heading out to another bombing run. But with each run fewer planes would return. Those whom did reported sightings of unholy beasts and machines, they said nothing man made could ever move like that, hordes of humans with frayed skins matched on, with each step blood would flow from their self mutated wounds.

"I sense doubt in your good general." A soft voice spoke behind him, barley audible above the constant whirling of the chainsaw.

"Rest assured as long as the emperor watches over me, I have no doubt." Stubbs replied without taking his glaze off the dark shadows. "However my men, I fear for their strength."

"Lay your fears to rest general; I will strike righteous fury into the hearts of your men."

"For that I am grateful." Stubbs replied, bowing his head slightly to show his appreciation.

"I will leave now." The voice disappeared.


	3. Attack

_Lol sorry, I was caught up with a lot of stuff in my life atm, but hey here is chapter three, please sent a review so at least I know people are reading it lol. _

"Retreat! Retreat back to the fortress!" a voice shouted over the trench lines.

A distinctive Lasguns sound erupted after.

"No retreat! No surrender" Commissar Vindicator roared above the whirling chain axes.

"The emperor watches over us, by his name you will stand and fight." The commissar continued his speech, wading through the thick of battle as if it was a stroll in the park. A chain axe came for his head, but vindicator was too fast. In a quick sidestep, he dodged below the enemy's attack and countered with his power sword. Blood splattered across his face, as the headless enemy spasm uncontrollably. Another enemy came, this one helmetless allowing the commissar and see into his eyes and witness the destructive rage inside his soul.

"Blood for the blood god!" the once noble warrior shouted as he descended on his prey.

Vindicator tore his glaze away from his enemy's face and raised his sword high to parry the attack. Shock wave erupted from the handle of his blade and throughout his body.

The attack was so powerful it sent the seasoned warrior onto his knees.

His enemy pressed on with the advantage, withdrawing his axe for an chest level slice, designed to cleave out the enemy's heart.

Vindicator rolled away from his attacker only to meet another berserker. Acting on instinct, he thrust his sword forward as he came out of his dodge roll. His strike was true, as the sword stabbed through flesh and armor. The berserker let out a cry of joy as his blood flowed onto the ground.

Victor sensed his adversary approach from behind, no time to even pull his blade out of the body; victor raised his Las Pistol and fired at his enemy. The laser scorched the armor until a round scored a painful shot into his eyes, the berserker dropped onto his knees, his hands crutching his face, distorted and blinded he made an easy target for the commissar. The few precious seconds was enough for the commissar, he charged forward, bending low, his hands brushed across the blood soaked ground until something heavy fell into his gasp. Vindicator enclosed his hand firmly on the weapon and posied to strike. Just as his enemy regained his composer, the chain axe was buried deep inside his head. spilting it in half. Brains and eyeballs shot off in all directions and mists of bloody flowed towards the sky in a glorified rain of death.

The commissar was given no respite as two more enemy emerged in front of him, normal guardsmen that turned into chaos, their faces and bodies displayed the sickening ritual of blood to the blood god.

Their eyes showed nothing but madness. The commissar exploded the head of one of the guardsmen before clubbing the other across the face with his pistol. He heard the bone crunch under his power, as teeth and tongue came off his enemy's face. More came for him, individually they are weak, but together, they are a wall of fresh that cannot be broken, the enemies crawled at the commissar, their rough nails and teeth stripped his body of skin and flesh.

Finally Vindicator dropped to the ground, his strength had left his body, he felt weak, but his spirit stayed true to the emperor.

"Forgive me emperor, I have failed." He whispered his last words.

* * *

General Stubbs watched as the last imperial flag disappeared under a shifting mass of bodies, the assault on fortress has finally started.

"To your battle stations!" Stubbs roared on the top of his lungs.

The fortress buzzed with life, man raced to their posts, each with a determined look on their face.

"500 yards!"

The artillery fired, shells the size of small tanks flew over Stubbs head and impacted deep into enemy lines. Bodies were launched into the air hundreds of meters high.

"400 yards!"

The mortar team joined the fray, their aim striking true, explosions ripped through the enemy lines, those whom survived the blasts frail on the ground as flames consumed their souls.

"300 yards!"

The auto cannons added to the fortress's defensive powers, large calibrated shells cleaved into the chaos forces, even the might of the power armor could not withstand its punishment, as metals and flesh alike was torn into scrape paper. And yet still they came, still they charged forward.

"200 yards!"

The unique sound of the snipers could be heard and heads exploded in unison.

"100 yards!"

The sky lit up with red, as thousands of guns blazed with the might of emperor, the red lights connected into a wall of impenetrable force. Enemies hindered and faltered under its might. Their armor scorched to the blackest of nights. Their faces exploded from the sheer heat of lasers. The chaos army had its unstoppable march suddenly halted.

Victory looked possible, but the feeling was short lived as the ground trembled, man seized their fire as they stared at the beast that rose in front of them.

"FIRE! Keep firing! You will know no fear; you will fear no darkness for the emperor is by your side." The deep voice of the priest flowed into the men's ears.

The old warrior pushed past the soldiers and stood at the front of the wall, his massive chainsaw whirling in anticipation of blood. He looked into the great beasts eyes and spat on the floor.

"Foul Demons of chaos, you will be banished to the warp once more." He challenged the great demon.

* * *

The ground trembled once more, but it was not the beast that caused it. The men could tell, this was the power of demons and chaos.

"It appears the battle have started without us." Wilson whispered. In that moment, the heavy door swung open, their sergeant greeted him with a warm smile.

"Well ladies, welcome to Cyrus, enjoy the sights, cause we are heading into the darkest pits of hell."

The squad cheered as they rushed out into the open world. The chaos would pay for their heretic acts.


End file.
